Jan 11

Jan 11 The 5 Greatest Football Matches in History

The Most Legendary Matches in Football History

Football is a beautiful sport, full of ups and downs, happiness and heartbreak, victory and loss.

The legendary “Game of the Century”- 1970 World Cup Semi-Final

Where there is a winner, there is also a loser. With the stakes always so high, the result is usually a fiercely battled affair between two passionate set of players.

This list looks at 5 of the greatest football matches played in the history of the sport.

It is tough to judge, as different games will mean more to different people, as well as the football itself.

However, nonetheless, here are The 5 Greatest Football Matches in History.

5. Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona (2019)

Following a 3-0 thumping at the Camp Nou, Liverpool had but a slim chance of reaching their second successive Champions League final.

However, those at Anfield Stadium that night will know that Divock Origi, Georginio Wijnaldum and the rest of Jurgen Klopp’s men had other ideas.

The first leg of the semi-final was dictated by a Lionel Messi masterclass, which is hardly surprising, and many thought that this would continue into the second leg.

But, with just seven minutes gone, and a verse of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” ringing around the stadium by hopeful fans, Origi poked home to breathe life into the tie.

The Liverpool faithful had to wait until the second half, and the substitution of Andrew Robertson for Wijnaldum, for more action.

The newly introduced Dutchman scored twice in the space of 122 seconds, before a smart corner routine from Trent Alexander-Arnold found the Barcelona defence napping.

This left Origi to smash home his second of the game and completely turn the tie around for the English side.

Liverpool would go on to be victorious in the final, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 to claim their sixth Champions League title or European Cup in the club's history.

4. Manchester City 3-2 Queens Park Rangers (2012)

Remembered as one of the greatest ever Premier League matches, Manchester City’s victory over Queens Park Rangers in the dying embers of the 2011/12 league season.

It was extremely tight at the top of the table for the whole campaign, with fierce rivals Manchester United looking to pip Man City to the title.

The Premier League came down to the last day, with just goal difference separating the two sides.

A Wayne Rooney goal against Sunderland was enough to send the Red Devils to the top of the pile, but a rather fortunate Pablo Zabaleta strike saw the Etihad come alive.

This would not last, however.

A mistake by Joleon Lescott was punished by Djibril Cisse, with Jamie Mackie compiling City’s misery, taking the lead for QPR just after the hour-mark, despite the visitors being down to 10 men due to a Joey Barton red card.

It looked as though City would fall at the final hurdle. But this is when the magic happened.

Although underrated and outshone when looking back at the game, Edin Dzeko’s fine header set up a grandstand finish with just moments left to play.

Words will never be able to describe what happened next.

Bedlam - Man City celebrate winning the Premier League

Joy, elation, years of heartache cured by a single goal. The world-famous, iconic Sergio Aguero goal clinched City’s first title since 1968, and the beating of rivals Man United made it all the sweeter.

This match lives on in the hearts of all those City fans and the Premier League history books, booking a spot on the list of “The 5 Greatest Football Matches in History”.

3. Barcelona 6-1 Paris Saint-Germain (2017)

This match goes down in history as one of the best comebacks in football.

The Round of 16 first leg saw an unusually poor performance by Barcelona, with PSG completing a 4-0 romping of the Spanish giants.

It seemed almost certain that the only result from the second leg was that PSG would progress to the quarterfinals.

With Edison Cavani grabbing a vital away goal an hour into the reverse fixture, Unai Emery was sitting comfortably.

However, with the attacking front three of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Messi, you are never totally safe.

Despite Barcelona leading the game 3-1, thanks to a Suarez opener, an own goal from Layvin Kurzawa, and a Messi penalty, time was ticking away and any hope of Barcelona overturning the result was slipping away.

Neymar came to life suddenly, driving fear into the PSG defence, scoring twice within the space of three minutes, with one coming a minute into injury time.

It seemed that, for all their efforts, Cavani’s breakaway goal in the 62nd minute would seal their fate of a Round of 16 exit.

But a bolt from the blue. The most unusual of suspects. Sergi Roberto, who had joined the Catalans as a young boy, prodded home with almost the last kick of the game, latching on to Neymar’s scooped ball into the box.

Bedlam. Pandemonium. The unimaginable had taken place right before the Barcelona faithful.

Sad tears changed to tears of delight. Hearts in mouths sunk back down as fans lifted from their seats.

Barcelona had completed the unthinkable, knocking PSG out of the Champions League with almost the final kick of the match.

2. Italy 4-3 West Germany (1970)

Labelled as the “Game of the Century”, the 1970 World Cup semi-final had to be included in this list.

It may not be a game that the younger generation experienced, but definitely one that they should feast their eyes on if they have a spare few minutes.

With just eight minutes on the clock, Italy took the lead through Roberto Boninsegna.

As a team that had only conceded a single goal in four World Cup games, West Germany had their backs up against the wall.

That was, until deep into stoppage time, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, a centre-back currently plying his trade at AC Milan, popped up in the box to equalise and send the game to extra time.

What came next was the most intense, enthralling and frantic 30 minutes of football.

It was all to play for, but West Germany were at a disadvantage once again.

Franz Beckenbauer had dislocated his shoulder but was forced to play on with his arm in a sling due to all substitutions having been made already.

Despite Italy leading for much of the game, it was the West Germans who took the lead, with Gerd Müller pouncing on a lapse in concentration.

The lead would only last four minutes, however, Tarcisio Burgnich tying up the score, before Gigi Riva put the Italians ahead again.

But in line with the rest of the match, things wouldn’t stay this way for very long.

Müller scored his tenth goal of the tournament, but with West Germany still on a high from pulling the score level for the second time, Gianni Rivera was slotting away a Boninsegna cross.

Italy had finally scored the winning goal and were through to the World Cup final, but would eventually surmise to the Brazilians, with Pele scoring in a 4-1 loss.

1. Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (3-2 on penalties) (2005)

Arguably the greatest Champions League match of all time, Liverpool’s comeback against AC Milan in 2005 rightfully tops this list of “The 5 Greatest Football Matches in History”.

17 years later, it is still one of the most talked about games ever to be played.

It was a dreadful start to the game for Liverpool.

Paolo Maldini’s first-minute volley set the tone for the first half, with a Hernan Crespo brace compiling the misery onto Rafael Benitez’s side before the break.

But if you ask any Liverpool fan, they will probably tell you that they still had faith… because all football fans will say that.

The Reds came out for the second half much brighter and energised, with Steven Gerrard beginning the world-famous revival.

The Englishman’s deft header nine minutes into the second half sparked Liverpool into life. They were still in this. After all, the club love a European Cup.

Just two minutes later, a rocket from Vladimir Smicer was too much for Dida to handle, and so left Liverpool with one more goal to even up the tie.

Captain Gerrard, in addition to his goal, won a penalty for Xavi Alonso to slam home.

Although, it didn’t quite happen like that. Dida saved the resulting penalty, but Alonso spared his blushes by pushing home the follow-up.

With the game tied at 3-3, the 2005 Champions League final would be taken to extra time and then penalties, with Liverpool managing to win the shootout 3-2.

Andrea Pirlo and Andriy Shevchenko both buckled under the pressure, missing a penalty each.

Liverpool would eventually lift the Champions League trophy, becoming only the third club to do so for the fifth time!

Do you have an opinion on the greatest football matches of all time? Let us know in the comments if you disagree with our picks 👇